Outfront has been canned.

The CBC has decided to axe Outfront. 

Canada's public state broadcaster has to make huge budget cuts, and Outfront is one of the victims.

In the age of User Generated Content, the CBC thinks it's a reasonable idea to stop a programme that gives professional radio equipment and training to people outside the profession. Outfront gives proper training and production help. The result is strong story-telling that combined a clear documentary, social and historical achievement with engaging, creative radio. 

And it's won a ton of awards. I've only written a couple of reviews, because it is so consistently good, I didn't want to seem like I was just constantly praising one pet show. I won't make that mistake again…

Outfront's daily slot is both a strength and weakness: being there for listeners without their having to figure out the day, or check their watches, or schedule their day around a sot on the dial… doing any less almost seems like putting a mill-stone around a programme's neck, especially one without a regular host to – pun intended– anchor it. 

But being there day in day out also necessitates repeats, weakening the apparent value. 

From this standpoint, it should be obvious that reducing Outfront to one day a week would free up 15 minutes for more affordable music or phone-in sequences; cut the number of admin/assistance hours needed for automation, compliance, etc; and probably leave a few people out of a job. 

A huge saving? Not really. You'd save more money by dropping the whole show. 

But the other costs of axing Outfront outweigh the financial savings. 

I know cuts really can be tough for management as well as the production teams. But on this on, seriously, please, think again.